Apparatus for compressing metallic particles



Jan. 29 1924.

A. B. MONTGOMERY APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING METALLI C PARTICLES Filed Nov. 18, 1920 :5 Sheets-She? 1 Jan. 29 1924.

A. B. MONTGOMERY APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING METALLIC PAh'l'iCLES Filed Nov. 18, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 21 Jan. 29',- 1924.

A. B. MONTGOMERY APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING METALLIC PARTICLES Filed Nov. 18. 1920- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 14/ j W INVENTOR. of? O 0 i 'omr BY n j ATTO Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

ALONZO B. MONTGOMERY, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING METALLIC PARTICLES.

Application filed November 18, 1920. Serial No. 424,841.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALONZO B. Monr- GOMERY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lakewood, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio. have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Com-' pressing Metallic Particles, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it. from other inventions.

The invention herein relates to an improvement in a compressing apparatus, and more particularly to a machine. for compressingmaterial having a variable stroke and operating with a constant maximum limit of pressure. The specific application of my invention is described in connection with the art of briquetting metallic particles, such as borings, turnings and the like, so that they may be re-melted or reworked, but it is not intended to limit the invention to that use as the apparatusis obviously of broad utility apart from the specific features disclosed.

Apparatus of this character heretofore in use has been of a complicated construction and of slow operation. The control of such mechanism has also been difficult and the product thereof has been relatively expensive to manufacture and not of uniform or standard quality.

The object of my invention is to obviate the difficulties outlined and to supply an apparatus, which, While of relatively simple construction, will produce a uniform character of product at an increased rate of output. A further object of my invention is to make the apparatus automatic in operation and adapt it to perform a series of steps in perfecting the .product without special supervision or co-ntrol. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings *Fig. '1 is a sectional elevation of my complete apparatus, including the press,

pressure control, accumulator and associated mechanism and connections, the sections of the press being taken in several planes indicated by the line 1-1, shown in Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the press, the hopper and feed mechanism being omitted; Fig. 3 is a sectional top plan view of the press, showing the parts below a horizontal plane located immediately above the tog le mechanism shown in Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is a etailed sectional elevation of the pressure control apparatus; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view and Fig. 6 a diagrammatic plan view of a modified form of the lower die operating mechanism and rotatable table control mechanism; Figs 7, 8 and 9 are de: tail views illustrating the successive steps in the production of a briquette by means of my apparatus; Fig. 10 is aperspective view of the finished briquette produced by my press; Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic plan view of the preferred form of die-operating mechanism and rotatable table control mechanism; Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail in side elevation showing the latchin mechanism'for the rotatable table; and'Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing the pump and its associated valve mecha nism.

My apparatus, as shown in the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 particularly, com prises a vertical frame 1 of substantial construction and of open rectan ular outline as viewed from the front, (see Fig. 2) providing a pair of upright guide members 2-2 at the sides, and a support 3 for a cylinder d centrally positioned above the open space. Above the cylinder the pressure control ap paratus 5 is located having appropriate fluid connections with a reservoir or accumulator to be later described. A pump is located in the line of one of these fluid connections for a purpose to be. hereinafter disclosed.

An upper slide block 6 and lower slide block 7 are engaged between the guide members being held in operative position by a plurality of plates 8 bolted to the sides of the guide members, and these plates serve to position, upon the front of .the main frame, apair of auxiliary guide rods 9, upon which operate a pair of sleeves 10 formed upon the upper ends.of bracket-like members 11 which support an extension member 12 attached to the lower slide block 7 Upon the upper left-hand plate, shown in Fig. 2, a pivot support 14 for a transverse lever 13 and its associated mechanism, to be described hereinafter, is provided.

The upper slide block 6 is of a sizefo closel fit within the lower open end of the cylin er 4 forming a piston for actm upon the fluid contained within said cylin er. A fluid-tight joint is formed by a suitable packing rin 21 attached to the lower s de of the cylin er. The lower slide block with its extension member serves as a head or support for the plungers or die members of the press. Pivot pin connections 22, 23 are provided centrally upon the adjacent faces of the slide blocks, to which are pivoted respectively a pair of toggle arms 24, 25, each connected to a pivot 26 upon the main toggle operating link 2'] the other end of which is journaled upon a crank arm 28 of the main press operating shaft 29. A large gear wheel 30 is fixed to said shaft andis driven by a smaller gear 31 secured to the main power shaft 32 journaled upon the frame and carrying a suitable fiy-wheel 33 and drive and idler ulleys 34, 35. An auxiliary shaft 36 is riven through a worm gear 37 on the press operating shaft and operates a set of mechanism to be later described. Upon the end face of the plunger head and its extension member a series of die members or plungers is carried. These plungers are six in number and are of different lengths and bottom configuration. The plungers all co-operate with a series of openings or mold chambers 38 provided In a rotatable table 39, which has centrally thereof a shaft 40 seated in a bearing 41 formed in a supporting plate 42 upon the lower part of the main frame. Beneath this supporting plate a toothed wheel 43 is secured to the pivot of the rotatable table. This wheel is actuated through a springpressed pawl 44 upon an oscillatin plate 44 centrally apertured and positione upon the pivot 40 immediately above the toothed wheel 43. It is operated by a crank arm 45 pivoted to a wrist pin 46 upon a disk 47 secured to the shaft 48 driven by a bevel wheel 49, in mesh with a bevel wheel 36 upon the lower end of the auxiliary shaft 36 heretofore referred to.

The plate 44 has an extension and flange 44 having a resilient member 44 secured adjacent its upper side portion (see Figs. 1 and 12) to momentarily engage a projecting roller '44 upon a spring-pressed latch 44 upon the support 42 for the rotatable table 39.

It will be noted that nine notches 44 are provided in the under side of the rotatable table and nine teeth upon the toothed wheel corresponding with the number of molding chambers provided in the plate. Thus upon the actuation of the oscillatin plate the latch will be withdrawn from t e notch by restate the resilient member as the pawl slides over the angular face of the adjacent tooth on the periphery of the wheel,,and, when the pawl engages the radially positioned face of the next adjacent tooth, the latch will be fully retracted. The further movement of the oscillating plate will shift the rotatable table the requisite distance to bring the respective mold chambers in alignment with the plungers next in the series. Durin r this movement the latch will trip past the s houlder of the resilient member and engage the next notch upon the rotatable table as it comes into' register, thus positively locking the same against movement, while the oscillating plate is being returned to its original position. During this return movement of the oscillating plate the spring-pressed pawl will ride over the faces of the acent teeth and the resilient plate will ride beneath the projection upon the end of the spring-pressed latch and snap into position to again engage and retract the same upon the succeeding forward movement.

A cam wheel 50 having an eccentric cam \path is fixed on the shaft 48 and is adapted to reciprocate a link 51 pivotally connected with an arm 51 fixed upon the end of a shaft 52, to which is secured a cam block 53, upon the cam face of which rests the base member 54 of a concave-faced die engaged through an aperture 56 in the support for the rotating table heretofore described, and adapted to-be projected into the openings of said table at predetermined intervals, for cooperative briquette shaping action With a similarly shaped die face on one of the die members carried by the plunger head and projecting through the opening in the plate from the direction vertically above that of the concave die face first mentioned.

A bracket 57, attached to the base of the main frame at the forward side of the machine, is provided with a flat horizontal upper face 58 upon a level with the rotating table previously described and at its forward edge is provided with bearinges 59 for a horizontal shaft 60 carrying a vertical disk at one end and a sprocket Wheel 61 upon the other. The sprocket wheel is: driven by a chain 62 running over a driving sprocket 63 fixed upon the toggle drive shaft heretofore described. The vertical disk has a-wrist pin 64 eccentric-ally set into its side, upon which is pivoted an operating link 65 connected at its other end to a pivot 66 upon the block 67 for feeding the material to be compressed to the openings of the mold chambers in the rotatable table. The feed block rests upon a thin plate of sheet metal 68 which extends over the top faceof thebracket and the a jacent upper face of the table. A hopper 69 is supported at an angular position over the feed block and the lower portion of the hopper casing the greatest amount of effective travel,

will thus compact the material into the opening in the rotatable table which has, on the preceding stroke, been relieved of the finished briquette.

on that forced into the opening by the preceding plunger of the series. The fourth plunger 74 has a contact face of convex cross-section and serves to compress the material, held within the opening of the rotating 'plate, centrally, giving it firmness throughout the main body and preventing a softspot in the interior of the finished briquette. The fifth plunger 7 5 of the series has an end face of concave cross section which co-operates with the concave faceof the lower die member, as heretofore described, and serves to closely compact the side Walls of the briquette and to give the the top and; bottom thereof a shallow dome-like shape to withstand rough handling without fracturing or disintegrating at the edges.

The auxiliary link mechanism already referred to, comprises a transverse lever 13 having a pivoted connection 14 with one.

of the lates aflixed to the face of one of the gu1de members. It joins through a link 77 with the stem 79 of a knockout plunger 7 6, which, by reason of the design of the link mechanism, including alink connection 7 8 having a pivot 80 on the bracket 11, has a greater range of travel than any of the plungers heretofore mentioned. As the openings of the rotatable table are carried beneath the knockout plunger the finished briquette will be forced through the bottom of the table into any suitable chute or receptacle;

The pressure control mechanism, shown in detail in Fig. 4, comprises a base portion 81 securely attached to the top of the cylinder by means of bolts 82, and having a central passageway 83 connecting with a passage-way in the top of the cylinder head. A lateral passage-way 8 lcommunicates with a piston pump-85, which in turn is connected with a reservoir or accumulator 86. The pump is provided with check valves 80 and 80 which respectively cut off back pressure through the passage-way Sl from the cylinder head. and through the The succeeding ,plungers will in turn compact material up- 1 the amount of connection 107 with the accumulator from the pump. An auxiliary passage-way 87 connects the lateral passage-way with the accumulator and is provided with a. valve 88 operating to admit fluid to the several. passageways before mentioned when the pressure therein falls below a certain point. Immediately above the valve the base portion of the presure controlchamber is provided with an aperture into which a plug 89 is screwed, said plug carrying on its under face an abutment 90 to limit the upward motion of the valve and prevent it from being unseated.

The central passage-way of the base portion of the pressure control apparatus is of smaller diameter at its lower portion, and

, at the end of this section is provided with a valve seat 91, with which co'acts a valve 92 housed within the enlarged upper portion 93 of the central passage-way. This enlarged upper chamber has an open passageway 94 of large size communicating directly.

with the accumulator. The valve or piston element is mounted upon the lower section of a two-part valve stem 95 which passes through av packing gland 96 in a transverse member 97 secured over the upper end of the central passageway in the base member of the fluid control apparatus. The upper member of the fluid control mechanism comprises a cylindrical part 98 which is screwed to the base member by bolts 99 and is closed at. the top by aplate 100 secured by bolts 101. Centrally of the upper member is a transverse partition 102, through which the upper section of the two-part valve stem passes, and within the upper chamber thus formed, ispositioned a. piston 103 of greater area than the'area of the valve or piston element in the lower chamber, thus providing a differential piston mechanism designed to maintain a higher degree of pressure in the cylinder of the press than is maintained throughout the remainder of the fluid'connections prior to the pressure able packing gland 106. The cylinder has a common connection 107 at itsbase with tlieseveral fluid passageways heretofore described; The piston carries a. cross-head 108 at its upper end, from which depend rods 109, upon which are placed a predeterminedv quantity of heavy plates 110, according 'to pressure which it is desired to maintain above the large piston in the ressure control apparatus. The pump may lie of any desired construction and is designed to keep the pressure from falling below the predetermined a mount'within the cylinder. I

The operation of the apparatus has been partially described in connection with the statement of the construction of the several parts.

I It will be noted that the material is fed through the hopper .into the several apertures or mold chambers of the rotatable table and is compressed through successive descents of the plungers within said chambers. The rotatable table is shifted at intervals between the strokes of the plunger head and the material is brought beneath the several dies in succession. After the operation of the first three dies of the series the briquette 111 assumes the form shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing. It is then compacted centrally by 4 a plunger having a convex end'f'ace, as is illustrated in Fig. 8, and it is finally shaped and given a hi hly compacted superficial area by means of the pair of co-acting concave faced dies 75, 55,

as illustrated in Fig. 9. The finished briquette of the shape shown in Fig. 10 is then ejected from the mold chamber through the action of the knockout plunger.

The shocks due to'the operation of the toggle and its associated mechanism are absorbed in the accumulator. The pressure applied by the final pair of plungers is greater indegree than that exerted by any of the other plungersrof the series and the material is of denser constitution when it is brought into register between this pair of plungers. The amount of pressure applied is therefore cont-rolled by the amount of pressure transmitted upwardly to the upper sliding block and thence to the liquid contained within the cylinder. When the pressure upon the lower valve or piston element reaches the equivalent of that above the upper piston element the valve will lift, and the fluid in the cylinder will be released through the large open passageway connecting the space above the valve with the accu-.

mulator, which will take up the shock of the operation. When the pressure is relieved through the valve the upper slide block :will move upwardly a small distance and with the re-seating of the valve will againafi'ord an abutment againstwhich the toggle mechanism may continue to work. As soon as the piston moves downwardly through the operation of the drive shaft of the toggle mechanism the fluid pressure will be restored to the original amount through the action of the pump as well as through the lifting of the check valve 88 in the auxiliary passageway.

It should be noted that the pump fulfills a very important function in connection with the operation of the'apparatus. The pressure in the cylinder is built up to approximately 4000 pounds per square inch by a .ton moves one-qu to handle two cubic inchesof liquid thirty times per minute. The pump, whileof relatively small capacity, will be brought into action sufiiciently rapidly to revent a drop to 350 pounds per quare inchewhere the pisdhter or one-half inch.

Through the provision of a pump in the apparatus, the upper slide block may be positioned atyits lower-most limit of motionand without any displacement thereof, the pressure above said slide block may be raised to 4000 pounds per s uare inch. After the operation ofthe di erential piston valve the accumulator serves to restore fluid at 350 pounds pressure above the slide block as it drops to its lower position, and without the pump it would require some upward displacement of the slide block to build up the necessary working pressure imthe apparatus. This displacement of the slide block would be in efiect lost motion and would prevent therapid production ofbriquettes under identical conditions of pressure. Without a pump the mechanism would be subjected to unusual strains and vbiration and the life of the check valve would be reduced. Furthermore, any slight leakage in the check valve would cause unevenness of operation and in the event that a slightly insufficient amount of material should be fed to the apparatus, it might easily occur that the total amount of pres sure delivered to a briquette would reach only 350 pounds per square inch and thus cause a certain percenta e of loss through the defective articles pro uced. As has been indicated, the pump is set to deliver a maximum pressure of about 4000 pounds per square inch for the character of operation above described. If the pump is permitted to develop a higher pressure it would overbalance the piston instead of allowin the slideblock to do so. The pump must t erefore .be one of suitable size and provided with a pressure relief valve of approvedconstruction.

l rom ti e to time it is necessary to admit fluid into t e system to compensate for leakage and evaporation. This is preferably accomplished by connecting the pum with an outside source of fluid supply an o ening valves in the pressure line until the esired amount of liquid is restored to the system. In a modified form of construction, illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, I provide a rotatable table shifting mechanism substantially the same as that described in connection with the form of my construction first referred to. Thus, the vertical shaft'136, operated from the toggle drive shaft, operates the horizontal shaft 148 carrying a disk provided with a Wrist'pin 146 at one end and another disk 150 near its other end, provided with a cam path. Upon the wrist pin the crank arm 145 is pivoted. and at its other end connected with the table shifting plate 141 carrying a spring pressed pawl 144', which engages the toothed wheel 143 affixed to the pivot 140 of the rotating table. Upon the margin of the shifting p te a resilient member 144 is provided to engage a projection upon a latch member 144 co-operating with a plurality of notches 144 upon the under side of the rotating table. v

In the modified form of my device the lower die-raising mechanism differs from that previously described and comprises a base member 153 provided centrally with a pivot pin 158 on itsupper'face, and with a series of projections 159, having horizontal top'faces 160 and inclined sides 161 positioned about said pivot pin upon the outer circumferential portion of said upper face.- A block carrying the die member 156 has on its undenface a complementary series of projections and an intermediate disk 157 is interposed between the adjacent faces carrying the projections, and has on each of its sides a series of projections 164 of a shape to engage the projections of the blocks mentioned and, through rotation about the pivot pin, to cause the blocks to be forced apart and the die to be supported in elevated posi tion by the plurality of horizontal faces upon said associated members.

Thus it will be noted that the press operates against a constant fluid pressure in the pressure control apparatus, that release of pressure is direct, and that normal operating conditions are quickly and automatically restored. The resulting product is of uniform character of compactness and internal structure and is of a shape to Withstand such handling as is required in the process of transportation and industrial use.

Other modes of'applying the principle of my invention maybe employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means tated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed. 1

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention '1. In an apparatus for compressing mate-- rial, an automatic intermittently revolving table, a plurality of moldlng chambers there in, a plunger head, a plurality of plungers carried by said plunger head for successively compacting material within the respective molding chambers, and a plurality of plungers on said head for successively giving said material a different outward configuration.

2. In an apparatus for compressing material, an automatic intermittently revolving table, a plurality of molding chambers therein, a plunger head, a plurality of plungers carried by said plunger head for successively compacting material within the respective molding chambers, and'a plurality of plungers on said head for successively compressing the central and peripheral portions respectively of said compressed body.

3. In an apparatus for compressing material, an automatic intermittently revolving table, a plurality of moldin chambers therein, a plunger head, a filurality of plungers carried by said plunger head for successively ompacting material within the respective molding chambers, an additional plunger also carried by said plunger head, a convex face upon said plunger adapted to compress said material centrally and give one end of the compressed body a concave upper face, and a plurality of oppositely posltioned plungers having concave contact surfaces. to compact said material circum- 'ferentially and give the opposite ends of the compressed body convex terminal faces.

4. In an apparatus for compressing material, a frame, a revolving table supported upon said frame, a plurality of molding chambers therein, a plunger head, a plurality of plungers carried by said plunger head for successively compacting material wlthln the respective molding chambers, an additional plunger also carried by said plunger head, a convex face upon said plunger adapted to compress said material cen trally and give one end of the compressed body a concave upper face, a plurality of oppositely positioned plungers having concave contact surfaces to compact said material circumferentially and give the opposite ends of the compressed body convex ter minal faces, and an independently movable knock-out plunger for discharging the compressed body from the molding chamber.

5. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a press, a liquid containing cylinder associated with said press, an element of said press movably engaged within said cylinder, a valve member upon said cylinder and fluid pressure means for maintaining a constant pressure upon said valve member.

6. In an apparatus for compressing mate-' rial, the combination of a press, a liquid containing cylinder associated with said press, an element of said press movably engaged within said cylinder, and means embodying a differential piston valve for maintaining a COalStaIli; amount of pressure above said cylin er;

7. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combmation of a prew, a liquid containing cylinder mounted above said press. an element of said press movably engaged within said cylinder, a valve upon said c 11nder, means comprising a difi'erential piston for maintaining a constant amount of pressure upon said valve, and means to absorb the shOCk when said differential piston is over-balanced by the pressure in the cylinder.

8. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a press, a liquid containing cylinder associated with said press, an element of said press movably engaged within said cylinder, a valve u on said cylinder, means comprising a di erential piston for maintaining a constant amount of pressure upon said valve, means to absorb the shock when said differential piston 1s over-balanced by the pressure in the cylinder, and means to automatically restore the parts to operative condition.

9. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a press, a liquid containing cylinder mounted above sald press, an element of said press movably engaged within said cylinder, a valve above said cylinder, means comprising a difi'erential piston for maintaining .a constant amount of pressure above said cylinder, means to absorb the shock when said differential piston is overbalanced by the pressure in the cylinder, and

means to automatically restore the parts to operative condition, including a check valve in connection with a fluid supply.

10. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a press, a liquid containing cylinder mounted above said press, an element of said press-movably engaged within said cylinder, a valve above said cylinder, means comprising a difierential piston for maintaining a constant amount of pressure above said cylinder, means to absorb the shock when said diil'erential piston is over-balanced by the pressure in the cylinder, means to automatically restore the parts to operative condition, including a check valve in a connection with a fluid sup-ply, and a pressure maintaining pump in another connection with said fluid supply. Q

11. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a press, a liquid containing cylinder mounted above said press, an element of said press movably engaged within said cylinder, an accumulator,

a fluid control apparatus above said cylinder responsive to predetermined pressure in said cylinder, and fluid connections between said apparatus and the accumulator.

12. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a press, a liquid containing cylinder mounted above said press, an element of said press movably enmenace gaged within said cylinder, an accumulator, a fluid control apparatus above said cylinder embodyin a difl'erential piston valve, direct fluid connections between said accumulator and the space immediately above the valve members of said differential piston valve, and fluid connections between said fluid control apparatus and said accumulator below said diflerential piston valve, having a check valve and pump respectively interposed therein.

13. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a toggle joint press, a liquid containing cylinder mounted above said press, an element of said press movably engaged within said cylinder, a pressure control apparatus mounted above said cylinder, a reservoir, passageways connecting said pressure control apparatus with said reservoir, a pump interposed in the line of one. of said passageways whereby a predetermined pressure is maintained in said cylinder and its adjacent passageways, and adifferential piston mounted within said pressure control apparatus and adapted to maintain a constant pressure above said liquid containing cylinder.

14. In an apparatus for compressing material, the combination of a drive mechanism, a toggle connecting with said drive mechanism, an arm of said toggle connecting with a piston slide block, a fluid containing cylinder receiving one end of said slide block, a plunger head connected with the other arm of said toggle, a plurality of plungers carried by said plunger head, a plurality of mold chambers with which said plungers co-operate, a valve above said fluid chamber, and means for maintaining a constant pressure above said valve.

15. In an apparatus for molding and compressing material, the combination of a rotatable table, a plurality of molding chambers therein, a series of reciprocating die members above the plane of said table cooperating with said molding chambers, means for intermittently shifting said table between the working strokes of said members, a lower die member located beneath the rotatable table and adapted to enter one of the mold chambers from below and radially oscillating means for reciprocating said lower die member and provided with a plurality of horizontal die supporting faces.

16. In an apparatus for molding and compressing material, the combination of a rotatable table, a plurality of molding chambers therein, a series of reciprocating die members above the plane of said table co-opcrating with said molding chambers, means for intermittently shifting said table between the working strokes of said members, a lower die member located beneath the rotatable table in vertical alignment with one of the upper die members and adapted to enter one of the mold chambers from below, a base plate beneath said die member provided centrally with a pivot pin on its upper face and with a series of projections having horizontal mp faces and inclined sides pasitionad about said pivot pin upon the mater circumferential portion bf said 1111;221- iace, a block carrying said die member ha on its under fans a complementary series 0f pmjactiens and an intermedi ate disk interposed betwesn the adjacent iacas carrying the pmjections, having on each of its sides a series of projections of a shape to engage the projections of the blocks mentioned and, through rotation ablmt the pivot pin, to muse. the blacks to be rim-red apart and the die to be suppm'ted in elevated position by the plurality ofhorizontal faces upon said associated members.

Signed by me, this 13th day of November, 20

ALGNZO B. MONTGOMERY. 

